Dining out figures on the rise

In London there was a weekly increase in seated dinners of 5 percentage points, up to a more modest 67% of the level seen in the equivalent week of 2020.

As part of a statistical bulletin reporting the data, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also looked at national retail footfall figures supplied by Springboard.

In the week to 22 January 2022, the volume of overall footfall in UK high streets increased by 4% from the previous week, and was 76% of the level seen in the equivalent week of 2019

Retail parks saw a 1% decrease from the previous week and was 95% of the level seen in the equivalent week of 2019.

Shopping centres, meanwhile, reported a 1% increase on the previous week and was 74% of the level seen in the equivalent week of 2019.

The ONS also highlighted the Pret A Manger index produced by Bloomberg​.

Transactions at all Pret stores increased in the week to 20 January 2022, though they remained below January 2020 levels at most locations.

Only transactions at London suburban, Yorkshire, and regional town stores were above their January 2020 average level at 122%, 120% and 107%, respectively.

London airport transactions remained the lowest relative to their January 2020 level, at 54%.

Of the transport-related locations, transactions at London and regional stations both increased by 8 percentage points in the week to 20 January 2022.

In comparison, London airport stores remain broadly unchanged over the same period, following three consecutive weekly declines.

Transactions at all transport-related locations remain below their January 2020 level.